Saponite Mineral Data

Saponite Mineral Data +

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General Saponite Information

Chemical Formula:

(Ca/2,Na)0,3(Mg,Fe++)3(Si,Al)4O10(OH)2·4(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 480.19 gm

Sodium 0.48 % Na 0.65 % Na₂O

Calcium 0.83 % Ca 1.17 % CaO

Magnesium 11.39 % Mg 18.89 % MgO

Aluminum 5.62 % Al 10.62 % Al₂O₃

Iron 8.72 % Fe 11.22 % FeO

Silicon 17.55 % Si 37.54 % SiO₂

Hydrogen 2.10 % H 18.76 % H₂O

Oxygen 53.31 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 98.83 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Ca_0.1Na_0.1Mg_2.25Fe²⁺_0.75Si₃AlO₁₀(OH)₂·4(H₂O)

Environment:

Amygdaloidal cavities in basalts.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1758

Locality:

Lizard Head in Cornwall, England. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

From the Latin, sapo meaning "soap.'

Synonym:

Griffithite-Ferroan

Piotine

Sobotkite-Aluminian

Saponite Image

Images:

Saponite

Comments: Light brown saponite pseudomorphs after stilbite crystals up to 6 mm.
Location: Thetford Mines, M?gantic Co., Qu?bec, Canada. Scale: 25x25x12 mm.
© John Betts - Fine Minerals

Saponite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.5786:1:1.3537

Cell Dimensions:

a = 5.3, b = 9.16, c = 12.4, Z = 2; beta = 96.5° V = 598.13 Den(Calc)= 2.67

Crystal System:

Monoclinic - PrismaticH-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: C 2/m

$Help on X Ray Diffraction:$ X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/I_o): 12.3(1), 1.53(0.7), 3.1(0.5),

Physical Properties of Saponite

Cleavage:

[001] Perfect

Color:

White, Yellowish white, Greenish white, Reddish white, Bluish white.

Density:

2.3

Diaphaniety:

Subtranslucent to opaque

Fracture:

Earthy - Dull, clay-like fractures with no visible crystalline affinities, (e.g. howlite).

Habit:

Granular - Generally occurs as anhedral to subhedral crystals in matrix.

Habit:

Massive - Uniformly indistinguishable crystals forming large masses.

Hardness:

1.5-2 - Talc-Gypsum

Luminescence:

None.

Luster:

Earthy (Dull)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Saponite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.026 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.161 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1899,KPDmeas= 0.2204,KC= 0.2264

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.479-1.49, b=1.51-1.525, g=1.511-1.527, bire=0.0320-0.0370, 2V(Calc)=20-26, 2V(Meas)=0-10. Dispersion none.

Calculated Properties of Saponite

Electron Density:

r_electron=2.32 gm/cc
note: r_Saponite=2.30 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.0217
Boson Index = 0.9783

Photoelectric:

PE_Saponite= 3.76 barns/electron
U=PE_Saponite x r_electron= 8.75 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Saponite is Not Radioactive

Saponite Classification

Dana Class:

71.3.1b.2 (71)Phyllosilicate Sheets of Six-Membered Rings

(71.3)with 2:1 clays

(71.3.1b)Smectite group (Trioctahedral Smectites)

71.3.1b.1 Sobotkite? (K,Ca0.5)0.33(Mg,Al)3(Si3Al)O10(OH)2·1-5(H2O) Unk. Mono

71.3.1b.2 Saponite (Ca/2,Na)0,3(Mg,Fe)3(Si,Al)4O10(OH)2·4(H2O) C 2/m 2/m

71.3.1b.2a Ferrosaponite! Ca0.3(Fe,Mg,Fe)3(Si,Al)4O10(OH)2·4(H2O) C? Mono

71.3.1b.3 Sauconite Na0,3Zn3(Si,Al)4O10(OH)2·4(H2O) C 2/m 2/m

71.3.1b.4 Hectorite Na0,3(Mg,Li)3Si4O10(OH)2 C 2/m 2/m

71.3.1b.5 Pimelite Ni3Si4O10(OH)2·4(H2O) Unk. Hex

71.3.1b.6 Stevensite (Ca0.5,Na)0.33(Mg,Fe)3Si4O10(OH)2·n(H2O) Unk (ORTH ?) Mono

71.3.1b.7 Yakhontovite (Ca,K)0.5(Cu,Fe,Mg)2Si4O10(OH)2·3(H2O) C 2/m 2/m

71.3.1b.8 Zincsilite Zn3Si4O10(OH)2·4(H2O)(?) C 2/m ? 2/m

Strunz Class:

VIII/H.20-20 VIII - Silicates

VIII/H - Phyllosilicates (layered) Mica like with [Si4O10]4- and related groups

VIII/H.20 - Hectorite - Zincsilite series

VIII/H.20-10 Hectorite Na0,3(Mg,Li)3Si4O10(OH)2 C 2/m 2/m

VIII/H.20-20 Saponite (Ca/2,Na)0,3(Mg,Fe)3(Si,Al)4O10(OH)2·4(H2O) C 2/m 2/m

VIII/H.20-27 Ferrosaponite! Ca0.3(Fe,Mg,Fe)3(Si,Al)4O10(OH)2·4(H2O) C? Mono

VIII/H.20-30 Spadaite MgSiO2(OH)2·(H2O)(?) None

VIII/H.20-40 Stevensite (Ca0.5,Na)0.33(Mg,Fe)3Si4O10(OH)2·n(H2O) Unk (ORTH ?) Mono

VIII/H.20-50 Sauconite Na0,3Zn3(Si,Al)4O10(OH)2·4(H2O) C 2/m 2/m

VIII/H.20-60 Zincsilite Zn3Si4O10(OH)2·4(H2O)(?) C 2/m ? 2/m

Other Saponite Information

References:

NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Ford32)

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Saponite

(Ca/2,Na)0,3(Mg,Fe++)3(Si,Al)4O10(OH)2·4(H2O)
Dana No: 71.3.1b.2 Strunz No: VIII/H.20-20
Locality:

Notes: